Silverbow (19 page)

His snout nuzzled my neck and I heard him take in a deep breath. “You smell like your mother, sweet child,” he hissed and began to lick my throat. Before he could make another move, Hines slammed into his side and they went rolling across the parking lot. I scrambled to my feet and watched as they fought one another. Once they were both on their feet they backed away from one another and Hines moved so that I was behind his back as though we were guarding me.

“Leave her alone, Allan,” Hines snarled.

“She is a lost soul and the devil has come to collect,” Allan whined.

“You have lost your damn mind,” I growled and he laughed.

“If only you knew, sweet child. I did not expect you to mature so soon. You must have found your match,” he snapped in return.

“Murphy is a monster, he is not my match.”

“Murphy?” His tone was that of someone who just discovered the Holy Grail but then he flattened it again. “You know too little, child. You will learn. You will learn. Your Father will come to collect you soon and then you will see the light,” he preached.

“Fucking bible thumper,” I shouted as my voice became more human and I turned on heel to return to Yates’s truck. I left the two men in the parking lot alone. I was done with them both for the night. I hoped that Father Allan burned in hell when he finally did get there. He was the exact reason I refused to go to church.

CHAPTER 16

I raced down the road towards the Ring not wanting to know what I was going to run into out there. I made a quick pit stop at my shop and grabbed two large red can’s of gasoline and loaded them in the bed of the truck with Mr. Yates’s dead body. My head was racing and dangerous options were all that I could see clearly. After collecting my holster, 9mm and my leather jacket, I was back behind the wheel. I bolted out of my driveway and didn’t let up on the gas pedal until I reached the outskirts of the Ring and hit the breaks. The silver truck skid to a stop, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake.

I jumped down from the cab and slammed the door. I didn’t bother to see who was paying attention or not but I could feel eyes on me. Lifting the gas cans from the bed of the truck, I looked long and hard at Mr. Yates’s carcass. Poor old bastard.

“Thank you for looking out for me. I am sorry I didn’t do enough for you. This is all my fault,” I whispered and uncapped the first can of fuel. My face wrinkled at the strong scent of gasoline as the golden liquid poured and splashed over him and the bed of the truck. I emptied the second can in the cab and then tossed both cans in the front seat. Turning on heel, I began to pat down my pockets in search of matches that I often collected from the bar. I found them but I also found something else.

I looked down at the cool metal in my hand and flipped the small rectangle over and over.  A smooth side surfaced and then another with a howling wolf engraved on it. It was Murphy’s lighter. Anger smashed into me and I worked hard at choking it back down. I guess he felt like I needed a fucking souvenir from the ride he gave me. Fuck you, Murphy. I began to distance myself and struck the Zippo against my thigh. The flame danced and then I chucked Murphy’s lighter into the bed of the truck with Mr. Yates. It lit up like the sun and began to burn relentlessly.

I turned and began walking towards the crowds that gathered here and there in the lot. Three fights kept dozens entertained while others talked business. Two groups were paying attention to me: Charlie and company and the familiar faces of the tattooed men that had begun to haunt me. When Charlie spotted me walking away from the blazing truck he began to run in my direction. Just as he reached me, his eyes widened and we both ducked down. The explosion lit the night sky and the force nearly knocked us over. I could still feel the heat on the back of my head and jacket as we stood and turned to look at the fire.

“What is going on, Dakota,” he asked as he looked me over. “Have you gone crazy?” Big black sunglasses took up over half his face and he was dressed in black slacks, shiny shoes and a red button up shirt that was left completely open to reveal his lithe body.

“Mr. Yates was killed. Father Allan shot him and I came to take care of the mess.” I reached up and tucked my messy platinum hair behind my ear and turned to meet Charlie’s eyes.

“Shit, baby girl,” he whispered as he reached up to my pale hair and touched my cheek too. “You look so different.”

“A lot has changed. I need to talk to you about your car,” I informed him and he placed a hand on his hip and glanced down at the nails of his free hand.

“Oh, I know, baby. That motherfucker came to get his shit but I already had the goods. What do you think I have been out here selling,” he sassed and smirked.

“You are trouble. Pure trouble,” I said as I shifted my glace past him to the old bleachers. Markham, the short built blonde sat on the top of the bleachers with his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward to talk in the ear of the tall, well-built and bald, Darius. Darius’s wicked jade gaze was upon me and a content smile pulled his full lips tight. I watched him nod and then my concentration was interrupted by Charlie’s snapping fingers.

“Bitch, wake up. What is with you? Have you been playing in the snow,” he asked and I arched a brow as I tried to figure out what he was asking. He made note of my confusion and lifted his pinky to his nose and snorted. Cocaine. I got it.

“I don’t play with that shit,” I said shaking my head. He followed my eyes as they shifted past him again and he tisked loudly.

“Are you still trying to play with the big boys, slut?”

“This game has really begun to suck,” I whispered as I started to walk past him. His hand was quick to grab my shoulder and I was extremely shocked at his strength. My eyes cut back over my shoulder to look down at his hand. His fingers were long and repulsive, even with long nails painted the color of his shirt. “Let go of me,” I requested. He smirked and tilted his head.

“I’m warning you, Dakota. You should leave now,” he said quietly and I watched him lift his sunglasses to reveal his electric blue eyes which now burned supernaturally like mine. “Baby, you have no idea what is going on right now. I am probably the only person who is going to care if you actually make it out of this shit alive.” I narrowed my brow as his speech confused me.

“What the fuck are you talking about,” I asked. He dropped his glasses back over his face and released his death grip on my shoulder.

“Baby, those are my people over there,” he said as he nodded towards the bleachers and I drew in a deep breath. “They have a little bit of business with you and I had to make sure it happened.” I reached out and slapped him with force that whipped his head back. His hand slowly lifted to rub his cheek. “Bitch, I’m going to let that slide. Do it again and I will fucking tear that new dye job of yours out,” he warned me.

“So you are part of the pack that killed my father,” I asked through a tight jaw.

“I wasn’t with them that day. But, yes, I am part of their pack,” he assured me and then smiled. “Can you guess where my paw is,” he smirked.

“I’m sure it’s on your ass, pillow-biter,” I spit and he began to laugh.

“Smart girl. Well, pup, I have a story to tell you. You see, your mommy dearest…” he began and I felt myself gasp for air; I had not taken a breath since he told me he was with the bikers. What the fuck did he know about my mother? “That whore belongs to the bald one,” he said with a flick of his finger in the direction of Darius. I turned to look and Darius was collecting himself and standing from the bleachers.

“What the fuck are you talking about,” I quipped and turned back to him.

“Cunt, shut it and let me talk,” he barked. “Viv is Darius’s bound mate; however, the bitch is a fickle twat. She obsesses over him, hates him and then comes back again. During one of her little “I hate thee” episodes, she skanked off with your daddy. Big man, strong, heart of gold…she could smell the wolf on him, thought he would be able to save her from the hold that comes with the mating bind. Nothing breaks that shit! Dumb little naïve twat, your mother was.”

“Was,” I asked in a hushed tone as I listened to his every word. My head began to spin as I tried to weave all the pieces of the puzzle together but found it difficult. There was so much in my life that had been a lie and I had a hard time figuring out what was bullshit and what was real.

“Oh, don’t worry. She’s still around. The old bitch just got smart finally.” I watched him as he lifted his hand and offered a wave over my shoulder. I slowly turned my head to see that Markham, Darius and another man were slowly approaching. “She had been gone for almost ten month’s when she came crawling back to Darius. He had to take her back but he was able to take it all out on your sweet Pops. He let it go at first. Then twenty-some years later he learned that she was still keeping in touch with Marshall, she really did love the man. Darius is very territorial and he didn’t want someone else dipping their fuck stick into his bitch when he was sure he finally had her being obedient.” He sighed and shook his head, “Once a whore always a whore.”

“She was still talking to my father? Did they know about me?”

“Baby, Darius had no idea you existed until he showed up to take your father out. The second he saw you he knew why…” his words were cut off as the three men at my back approached.

“That’s enough, queer,” Markham snarled at Charlie and Charlie walked over and smacked him. “Baby, love it when you are rough.”

“Bitch, please! I wouldn’t touch that three inch, flea infested, crooked little cock of yours if you paid me,” Charlie snapped. I stood with my arms crossed and placed my hand on my gun beneath my jacket.

“Child, there is no need for that,” poured his rich voice. Heat swept in and seemed to wrap me like a comforting blanket. It paused for a brief moment and then oozed once again. I felt my nerves begin to settle though I wished they hadn’t. I knew I should be scared but the moment he spoke my fear went out the window. Darius approached me and reached down to take my hand and lift it to his lips. His haunting green eyes remained on mine as he kissed the flesh on the back of my hand and nuzzled it like Daxo used to do when loving on me. I begged my muscles to work and snatch my hand away from him but I didn’t move. He was utterly bewitching. My hand on my gun relaxed though it remained tucked around the 9mm.

“Why are you here,” I asked calmly with my eyes on his.

“I’ve come for you, love.” His warmth was so different from Murphy’s. When Murphy touched me I found myself craving him like an addict. Darius’s touch put me at ease and made me feel like all was right in the world. The realistic side of me barked in my ear, telling me that my world was about to be shattered once more. He let my hand fall back to my side and reached out to tuck my bangs out of my eyes. I managed to move away from his hand. “You’ve changed since our last meeting,” he whispered and I noticed his tone was slightly bitter.

“Did my mother send you?”

“I guess you could say that,” he offered. “She honestly doesn’t know I am here. I have been watching you for some time, though through the eyes of another.” He held a hand out, gesturing towards Charlie. I sighed as I recalled that Charlie showed up not too long after my father was killed, three years ago. I obviously had never made the connection.

“The car was a total set up,” I asked, turning to look at Charlie.